Dalvinder Singh AKJ

Original article published by SikhNews.net

Dalvinder Singh Speaking at a Youth Camp in BC Canada

TORONTO, CANADA (KP) – A camp organized by a controversial and self-styled parcharik Dalvinder Singh was abruptly cancelled in the Toronto suburb of Brampton after news of criminal charges surfaced regarding his activities in India.

The Toronto camp was cancelled as questions arose about Dalvinder Singh’s dangerous predatory and controlling behavior towards young and vulnerable youth within the Sikh circles.

According to an FIR filed by a young Sikh Delhi woman, Dalvinder Singh and his two accomplices, Jaspreet Singh and Gagandeep Singh, conspired to coerce her to attend at a Panipat residence where she was then confined, drugged and sexually assaulted for several days by Jaspreet.  In the statement given by the victim, it states that Jaspreet mentioned that Dalwinder Singh was also involved in the assault.

Alleged perpetrators: Second from left, Dalvinder Singh, Gagandeep Singh on Vaaja

According to letter published by this young Sikh Delhi woman, she and her husband became acquainted with these three individuals after attending camps organized by Dalvinder in the Delhi area. The victim is stated to be a breast cancer patient who was looking for spiritual guidance along with medical treatment for her ailment.

“Channeling” Guru Gobind Singh Ji

One of most shocking incidents that the victim mentions is that in order to win over the couple’s trust, the trio convinced them that they were “channeling” Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Spirit through their body. They put on a charade by telling the woman that Guru Gobind Singh Ji works and channels through one of them. They often referred to each other as “puratan” souls.

It needs to be noted that a delusional claim such as this is nothing less than blasphemy for Sikhs, and an ultimate sign of disrespect of Guru Sahib. In fact, it is on par with the tactics deployed by other dangerous cultists such as the Sirsa Sadh Ram Rahim.

File Photo of Key Perpetrator Dr. Jaspreet Singh

By making such claims, the trio, over time, created an impression that they had miraculous spiritual powers and won the couple’s trust. They duped the couple into handing over control of their entire family business to Dr. Jaspreet Singh, after convincing them that they would help heal the couple as they had a special mystical connection with Guru Gobind Singh Ji Himself.

She states in her letter:

“One time Jaspreet Singh began to speak as though he was Guru Gobind Singh and said “you are not serving my Singh enough”. We did not believe in this and the next day Gagandeep came to our home and said that we should believe because Maharaj does come in him (Jaspreet) and that he is a Puratan Singh and that Maharaj has spoken about Dalvinder Singh through him as well. When we told this to Dalvinder Singh, he said it is good you have found out about this yourselves- it’s not just a coincidence that he has cut your Karma and saved you from death.”

Physical Abuse

The trio tried to control the couple in various ways including having them prepare a diary of their daily activities and reciting it to Dalvinder Singh. When they did not approve of the couple’s behavior, they would punish the couple in bizarre ways, including physical assault.
The woman mentions that she and her husband were subjugated to humiliation and also physical beatings several times, including beatings by Dalvinder Singh, in an attempt by the trio to establish control over the couple. In one incident she states that her husband was brutally beaten with a stick by Dalvinder Singh. In another incident, he was beaten with a rolling pin. She herself was told to slap herself continuously on her face and then write in the diary.

Sexual Assault

After some time, Jaspreet’s health supposedly had deteriorated and he and Dalvinder Singh made the couple believe that he had taken on their karma, which in turn caused him to become physically ill. He and Dalvinder Singh ordered her to serve him, to pay off their spiritual debt. She was told that her biggest test so far is upon her and that she must forsake her attachment even with her husband.

She states, regarding the rape incident, “Dalvinder Singh phoned and expressed his agreement with this and said “daughter, this is the time to earn spiritual profit and just like I have organized a secret camp for Gagandeep Singh in Punjab, you should go to Panipat and engage in meditation and do a separate camp for Mahraj’s Singh, Jaspreet.”

“I arrived in Panipat in the middle of the night. Right away, according to camp rules, my phone was taken away. There, Jaspreet locked me in a room that had rats and insects. I was allowed to go to the washroom 1-2 times a day. I was given food once a day and sometimes I was given water and sometimes not. I was kept in the room for 24 hours a day and only Jaspreet had the key. Jaspreet would give me medicine in the room on time.”

“On the fourth day, I felt as though something very bad had happened with me. There was no one else near me so I told Jaspreet that I was feeling a very different kind of pain. He made an excuse about my sickness and the medicine and tried to dismiss my complaint. That night he slept in that room and then spoke in his sleep as Maharaj and said, “You have mistrusted my Singh. I have sent this Singh myself. I will go away from you now.”

The bail application filed by Jaspreet Singh’s lawyers further clarify the woman’s claims regarding the incident:

“Complainant went to Panipat, where the applicant/accused wrongfully confined her for several days and raped her. Complainant suffered bleeding because of rape and her clothes also got stained with blood.”

“JASPREET FROM HIS OWN MOUTH HAS ACCEPTED THAT DALVINDER SINGH WAS INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING.” – VICTIM STATEMENT

Admission of Crime

Upon realizing that she had been manipulated, drugged and raped, the victim states that out of shame she tried to commit suicide three times. In the meantime, Jaspreet Singh fled from his Delhi home out of fear.

She also states that, “Jaspreet from his own mouth has accepted that Dalvinder Singh was involved in everything.” In the FIR, Dalvinder Singh is named an accomplice of Jaspreet Singh. Upon discovering an FIR had been filed with Police, he suddenly fled to the US and has currently been spotted in Toronto, Canada. Shortly before this, he was invited to and attended a Youth Camp in Vancouver, Canada.

Attempts to silence and payoff victim

According to the FIR and letter from the victim, Gagandeep Singh delivered checks for 15 lakhs rupees in order to silence the couple. She and her husband have refused to cash them as they consider the payment a bribe to buy their silence.

Criminal case filed

The victim has filed an FIR (First Information Report) with the Hari Nagar Police Station which has now been registered as FIR No. ###/202# with the Tis Hazari Court in Delhi CNR No. DLWT01-00####-202# under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860, sections 328 (Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence), Section 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement), Section 376 (Rape), and Section 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

While all three suspects have fled their residences, Jaspreet has applied for bail with the District courts at least eight times. It was denied each time.

Leadership Failure

Independently, the victim on multiple attempts has tried to approach the Akhand Kirtani Jatha’s (AKJ) management in Delhi and Punjab as Dalvinder Singh was primarily promoted and supported by the AKJ leadership. Neither the AKJ in Delhi or Punjab looked into the allegations. The purported Jathedar of AKJ international body, Bakhsish Singh, has admitted that he received a written complaint from the Bibi at least four months ago detailing the allegations and charges against Dalvinder Singh, Jaspreet Singh, Gagandeep Singh. He failed to take any action.

Dalvinder Singh at a recent Toronto AKJ.org Smagam after the criminal case had been filed

The victim and her husband even presented themselves before the Panj Piare at an AKJ Smagam in Rajpura, Punjab. The couple explained the crimes perpetrated against them by Dalvinder Singh and Jaspreet Singh. The victim expressed her grief as the Panj told them to accept the situation as the will of Waheguru and remain quiet about the matter. The Panj never made any attempt to take any action against Dalvinder, Jaspreet or Gagandeep.

The victim claims that the very few individuals who initially stood by her were quickly silenced through intimidation and bribes as is commonly done in such cases in India.
It should be noted that Dalvinder Singh, who is a permanent resident of the US, has been at the center of many controversies. Complaints have been made against him with various units of AKJ in the UK and North America, including with their so-called 31-member committee. They never even bothered to investigate any of the complaints and he has been granted free reign to hold his controversial camps and partake in various Smagams.

Dalvinder Singh among some innocent families in Canada

Cultish Activities

Dalvinder Singh is known to use manipulative behavior whilst conducting his Youth Camps. He uses these camps to identify, target and groom vulnerable youth and to establish himself as the dominant and controlling figure of trust in their lives. He has worked to separate youth from their parents so as to keep the parents in the dark about illicit relationships and the dubious ongoings at the camps. He has promoted extra and pre-marital relations amongst the youth who attend his camps and omits to teach that this type of behavior is against Gurmat. He has actively created issues amongst married couples and promoted separation and in some cases even found them alternative partners while they were still married. Youth have in some cases left their homes and disassociated from their families under his influence.

Wake Up Call

Sikh organizations need to become more vigilant against activities of nefarious individuals who under guise of Sikhi take advantage of innocent families and impressionable youth and commit heinous acts against them. How many others have fallen victim to such perpetrators in our community? How long will Sikh organizations cover up and look the other way?

What kind of community accepts the sexual assault of victims incapacitated with drugs as a norm? The Singhs of the 18th and 19th century were known to rescue and defend the honor of women of other faiths, and countless Singhs sacrificed their lives doing so. Now we cannot protect our own from within? What has changed?

Introspection

The pain and suffering these people have caused to their victims is immeasurable. The damage they have caused to the Sikh Panth by dressing their crimes in the guise of Sikhi can also not be understated. In situations such as these, it is often the case that those in charge are more concerned with damage control to save the reputations of their organizations and maintain their relationships than they are with bringing about any sort of justice.

It will be very easy and enticing to have such people quietly pesh before panj payare in some random location and declare them ‘reformed’ until they commit the same types of acts again. The cycle will then repeat. However, this is not in line with Gurmat principles.

Dalvinder Singh has negatively affected sangat worldwide and the sangat must have a voice as well in any decision about this matter. There are precedents in the history of our panth in dealing with such situations and these should be relied upon when deciding how to handle this matter and these three individuals. The only way forward is to walk the path of Gurmat, the path of truth, no matter how difficult or painful.

Evidence supporting this article, including legal documents, written statements of victims, and audio recordings are on file and may be released if needed.